It seems to me that everyone in the family of A Raisin in the Sun is worried about the check that
Mama is going to receive, but Mama is not. While this may just be because they
are all greedy and want some of it. I think it mirrors our society today in a
sense. That everyone is worried about money except when they are making it.
Today everyone hypothesizes what they would do with their money if they won the
lotto, or won big at the casino. Yet they people do not seem to think twice
about the regular money they receive from their pay checks. This is because
most people spend a good amount of it on food, clothes, and savings. This may
become a routinely habit for them. On the contrary some people may need to divvy
up their pay checks to survive with minimum income. This may be due to the
greedy tendencies of the human kind to always desire more and to dream. It also
may just be that since Mama is older, she has less to desire in the world. She
has children and grand children. Now she just wants to see them be successful.
That is probably why she plans on giving them the money.
Whatever the fact is, I do not feel like I
am alone in feeling it is odd that most of everyone in the family is worried
about money. What do you think/feel?
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, I do not find it odd that nearly everyone in the family is worried about money. In this story, it is obvious that times are tough. When they hear that a big check is coming, they all individually think that they deserve the money for their own motives or reasons. Walter wants to use Mama’s check to invest into a liquor store. He believes that this will help him rise above his social class and gain respect and dignity. He soon becomes angered when he discovers that Beneatha’s college tuition is cutting into Mama’s insurance check. Most of the family thinks that she will never actually become a doctor; they assume that it is yet another idea in which she “flits” from one thing to another. Then, Ruth thinks that the money should be given to Walter and Travis so that they can move out of their tiny, cramped apartment.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Joey in the fact that not everyone is worried about money. In the story I think that all the characters are selfish when thinking about the possibilities of spending Mamas check. I think that all of the members in the household think that they deserve the money more then others. Walter is thinking of his family in the long run by investing in the liquor store, but he is not taking his sisters education into consideration. All the characters in the story have good motives with the money. I think that the whole family should agree on one investment to go in on together. That’s why I think that Mamas idea of getting a two story apartment is the most practical for their situation.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both you and Joey. I believe the individuals of the family want to support their family in their own way. Walter wants to open the liquor store so he can be the stereotypical man of the house who supports his family. He wants to be the one to work for the money. He doesn't want Mama to go ahead and buy the house because he wants to earn the money to buy the house himself. Beneatha wants to use the money for college so she can become a doctor and support the family as a successful black woman. However, their reasons are also somewhat selfish. Rather than realizing the best thing is for their family to move out of their cramped house, they want to use the money to further themselves for the family. They want to reach their own dreams, but they also have the family's best interest at mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the face that Mama just wants her children to be successful and comfortable. Although she has desire, she puts it in the back of her head because she would rather spend it on family and have them live a life better than what she had. People in our society hypothesize about winning the lottery or receiving a large amount of money because it gives them a break from dealing with their difficult issues in life. A prime example of this is Walter in the play. He is living in a crowded apartment without a good source of income yet he wants to invest $10,000 into something that may not workout. I believe Mama has the family's best interest at heart.
ReplyDeleteWell their is a valorous reason for the wanting of the check. This in hand check of $10,000 is what the family wants for a new household, although Walter lee views this as an investment opportunity. Everybody in the family wants the cash for their own reason which is agreeable with what you are saying, but the family has nothing this is a lotto made from flesh and blood. As for the money from their pay check i do agree that they work for that part of their savings including food, clothing, and general expense, but Walter lee has become addicted to alcohol, not in the sense of a fix, but when its their he needs more. These action render paychecks limited and with a child on the was life insurance is the most important thing.
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